5 Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

With the holidays fast approaching, there are two things that usually follow. One of them being the many social gatherings, the other being the holiday weight gain associated with all these outings. We have all had those moments, however, you do not always have to succumb to this depressing aftermath. By maintaining your activity levels and watching what you eat, you can avoid the holiday weight gain altogether! At your next dinner party, below are 5 things you should think twice about eating seconds of.

5 Things to Watch to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Appetizers – This is only on the list because of my parents. I firmly believe that appetizers are served only when the food is taking a little longer than expected or you haven’t made enough food for dinner. They are a ‘tide you over snack’ – not a meal. Eat a couple, but do not race with others to finish the platter. If you are looking for lower calorie alternatives on the platter, stick to veggies or cocktail shrimp.

Sauces – Sauces are a hiding ground for excess refined sugars and fats. You might as well crumble candy canes all over your steak (not as appealing as the leftover meat drippings from your grandmas infamous roast). Stick to broth based sauces for meat and potatoes while topping your salad dressing with vinaigrette or low fat dressing.

Butter – Although your grandmothers steamed asparagus tastes amazing when she drowns it in butter, your arteries are screaming for help. Try to avoid the soupy mess or let the asparagus drain, or opt for healthy choices such has low fat margarine.

Alcohol– Alongside most social gatherings is the consumption of alcohol. Let’s put this into perspective: A glass of wine (80 cal), a beer (150 cal), a shot (65 cal), and liqour (180 cal). You may be the person everyone talks about the day after, but your liver and your waistline will hate you. Try to accompany your alcohol with water to maintain hydration and to limit the total amount of alcohol you drink to avoid the dreaded holiday weight gain.

Desserts – Aunt Mary brought her world famous triple layer Rocky Road Fudge Cake and you can’t resist but eat half. Desserts are mainly composed of simple sugars and fats – and lots of them. Low calorie or healthy alternatives to Aunt Mary’s diabetic death wish are Jell-O, fruit, or yogurt.

Moderation

In addition to watching out for the above mentioned areas, one needs to grasp the concept of moderation. I am not one to preach about eating a healthy and nutritious diet every day for the rest of our lives, that we should only eat unprocessed foods, that all organic is the only way. I would be lying if I didn’t say I ate at least one processed food every day. And that’s on the low end. However, the concept of moderation and nutrient dense food are the issues. We, as a society, eat far too many calories daily and are not as physically active as we should be. If you are not burning the calories – you are storing them.

To avoid the holiday weight gain, try to eat in moderation and load up on the vegetables. Not only are they high in fiber, they will make you feel fuller longer. And here is where the nutritional density comes into play. Vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals (provided they are raw – steaming is a good alternative to frying). By loading up with vegetables, that have not been basting in butter, at your next holiday dinner party, you will get the micronutrients your body needs to function.

Another simple mind trick you can play with yourself is grabbing a smaller plate. People seem to load up their plates with food, regardless of size. If the plate still has room, it must be occupied with – you guessed it – more food. By choosing a smaller plate, you will trick yourself into eating less since you will place less food there in the

first place. This will limit the amount of calories you consume, reducing your chances of holiday weight gain.

You have just scarfed down your first full plate of food and the hostess asks – would anyone like a second serving? It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to sense satiety (the feeling of being full), so maybe take an extra couple minutes to truly answer that question so you do regret an impulsive first response.

One Last Thing…

Remember why you are there, to get together with family and friends and to enjoy each other’s company. Do not strap yourself beside the food table, go and socialize. This will take your mind off the food – resulting in less food consumption.